RYT-200

Oh heyyyyy from Uluwatu!!

So, by now you probably know that I entered into a Yoga Teacher Training Program in Mambal, Bali and that I’ve graduated with my RYT-200! Wahoo! I’m not sure if I’d really like to teach, but the experience has taught me so much and significantly deepened my knowledge and self-practice.

During 24 days I was in school, I met some of the most amazing and beautiful women on the planet. We came into the experience as strangers, and left as sisters. In addition to yoga sequencing, meditation, pranayama and anatomy classes, we spent lots of time being introspective. Never have I ever examined myself so critically, or with so much love (at the same time! yes, it can be done).

Our days started early (5A!) and ended early (8PM bedtimes), but we made creative use of our midday breaks. We ate a lot of kale chips (or as we like to call them, “yoga doritos”)…

On one day off, we woke up at 2AM to start climbing Mount Batur (a nearby volcano), and managed to summit around sunrise. Here is my obligatory yoga pose/sunrise/volcano pic:

 

On another day off, we spent some time at a waterfall around the corner. Yep, I’m the shorty in the middle:

 

During the days we had school, we spent most of our time reading, swimming in the pool at the compound (what we lovingly all the place we stayed), and practicing our sequences for exam time. At night, my roomie Laurie and I slept in a Lumbung, or a traditional Balinese treehouse. Here’s our home, sweet home, hut, sweet hut:

 

Isn’t she the most adorable? We got along wonderfully. Can’t wait to go visit her in France!

We had some of the most wonderful instructors – most notably, the director of our program, Anita. She is a radiant yogi and Ayurvedic specialist. I want to be her when I grow up!

Seriously! Isn’t she radiant? You can feel her positive energy from 1000 feet away. Our second instructor, Mindy, teaches yoga in Guatamala and learned in a Shamonic style. She teaches with a djembe – always singing and drumming – obviously the musician in me loved that part. It really brought a different element into our learning experience! Our anatomy teacher, Erin, had to leave early and we’ve missed her so! She has the sweetest soul and the quippiest humor(us. Get it?!). Can’t wait to catch up with her and her cheeky personality ASAP in Byron Bay, Australia.

At the end of the program, I am happy to be moving on physically, but my heart feels like it has just broken into 29 pieces and flown all across the world. I couldn’t be more proud of these women, all that they’ve gone through, all they’ve shared, and what they’ve all brought to my life and what they are bringing into the world. Each and every one has such a special light! This is our graduation day picture:

 

After graduation, we had to have one big night out eating dessert and drinking fermented tea before we all went our separate ways. We didn’t hold back, that’s for sure! Ain’t no party like a yogi party:

 

As for me, I’m in Uluwatu right now, happy to be able to see Deena and Ivan (from Amed!) again. I’m trying my yogi damndest to carry with my all the lessons I’ve learned. I feel strong and capable, more so than I ever have. I feel calm and I’m happy to say I feel like I have a beautiful new perspective on the events of the past few months, and goals for the future. I have taken such a look inside myself at all the ugliness and beauty floating around, and I’m trying to create a balance for myself. I feel better every day.

Thank you to all of my family and friends who have provided me with unconditional love and support in these past few weeks. My life has been turned on its ear, but every day that passes is more and more beautiful, and I know in my heart that no matter how things turn out, everything will be okay. Better than okay. I am great. A little shaken, but mostly great.

I love you. I love you. I love you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Write ya soon!

xx, A